Coin-controlled gravity-operated ticket printing and delivering scale



Sept. 7 1926. 1,598,620 s. A. RHODES x-:r AL

COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY OPERATED TICKET 'PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE v JMW;

Sept. 7 1926. 1,598,620

s. A. RHODES Er AL COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY OPERATED TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE Sept. 7 1926. 1,598,620

S. A. RHODES ET AL` COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY OPERATED TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE Filed Jan. 2, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 hnnnnlnn Sept. 7 1926. 1,598,620 s. A. RHODES E' AL COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY OPERATED TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE Sept. 7 1926. 1,598,620

s. A. RHODES Er Al.

COIN CONTHOLLED GRAVITY OPEHATED TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE l Filed Jan. 2, 1925 @Sheets-"Sheet 5 9 V Y 7i 7 l l I" @I A Sept. 7 1926. 1,598,620

s. A. RHODES E-r AL COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY OPERATED TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Jan. 2, 1925 M HQ, @Lw @fw @'@QMTM 1,598,620 s. A. RHODES Er AL COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY OPERATED TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE Sept. 7 1926.

Filed Jan. 2, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 2.4 I J4?? -25 .da

Sept. 7 1926.

S. A. RHODES E' AL COIN CONTROLLED GRAVITY OPERATED TICKET PRINTING AND DELIVERING SCALE SYSheetS-'Shet Filed Jan. 2, 1925 Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES SETE A. anonris, or oAx PARK, AND GUsTAv F, IICCIIRIEM, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoIis To nIIoDEs-HoCnRIEM MANUFACTURING Co., or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, A

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CoIN-CoNTBoLLED GRAVITY-CPERATED TICKET PRINTING AND .DELIVERING l SCALE.

Application med Ianualy 2, 1925. serial No. 20o.

The present improvements relate to Weighing machines Which, upon the insertion of a coin, will print and' eject a ticket showing the Weight of a person standing on the scale platform. In the specific embodiment shown means are provided also forqv thatvthe coin may not be Inserted until the' printing the date of the Weighing operation. The present device belongs to that class of coin-controlled ticket-printing weighing machines in which. the Weight of a person on the platform supplies the necessary power for the operation of the scale.

IVe are aware that various attempts or suggestions have heretofore been made toward the desired end of providing a coin-controlled gravity-operated ticket-printing-andvending Weighing scale. In such devices it has been recognized that certain fundamental parts are essential, such as means for storing up energy for gravitational opera tion," means for holding a supply of tickets,

means for feeding the tickets successivelyl one at a time into printing position, means for printing the ticket and means for ejecting it. The present machine, which is now in extensive use, is the result of improvement in all of the fundamental parts or features, with novel additions all making for improved results and advantages.

The chief object of the improvements is to provide a reliable and dependable device of the character described. Y

A specific object of the invention is to provide for greater ticket capacity whereby refilling of the device is less oftenrequire'd,

thus saving time and labor and maintaining the machine in longer periods of service. It is an object also to provide a ticket magazine for the ticket su ply according to which a substantially uniorm pressure is maintained upon the particular ticket which at any time is in position to be shifted away from the stack, an important factor of uniform operation.

Another important object is to -provide the required certainty of action lthrough the provision of peculiarly appropriate mechanisms, the avoidance of parts or features found to be unnecessary, and, in general, by simplifying the construction and reducing the number of parts.

It is an object to provide a device of the'r character described Whichwill operate With a relatively small Weight on the platform, for instance a child of-twenty pounds, Without the prior setting of the machine by a person of .greater Weight.

The-important object of a satisfactory operation is contributed to by means providing machine is ready to printv and'deliver the ticket; and the further object is attained of refusing a coin When the card container is empty or substantially exhausted of the blanks on which the printing is done.

It is an object to promote safety to the machine and a satisfactory use by means whereby When the operation of filling the ticket container or magazine has been performed the container door must be closed and put into a cooperative position before the front door -of the casing or outer housing of the machine can be closed, thus preventing misoperation through inadvertence of the attendant.

A specific object is to provide readily operable means for adjusting various of the operative parts calling for adjustment, asin the instance of the date-printing wheels, from day to day, or of a liquid-containing dashpot, the most satisfactory operation of which may call for adjustment in hot and cold Weather. Y f,

In the rather critical operation of feeding one ticket at a time from a stack or vertically arranged supply, the objectis attained of a smooth and easy shift, with but little friction and with dependable certainty of action.

Various advantages are had also in the organization or arrangement of certain feeding, printing, tripping, etc., mechanisms on the opposite sides of a common plate-like support which holds the several mechanisms mounted on ,it in their respective cooperative relations, thus saving space also and avoiding complication of parts.

The machine of the present invention is of-relatively small size in Weight, While at the same time being strong and durable.

Still other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter. l

It Y will aid the understanding of the machine if at this place `a brief` description is made of its chief features of operation. The person desiring to Weigh himself steps upon the scale platform which moves downward slightly raising a weight and other parts to store up energy, the raised elements becoming latched in suspended position. This stored up energy becomes effective when the person steps olf of the platform after a weighing operation, and then raises a lesser weight which, coincident with the weighing operation, restores other gravitationallyoperated parts to original position. The downward movement of the scale platform is also communicated to a pair of springs which balance the persons weight. The downward movement of a rod extending upward from the springs is communicated to a vertically movable rack in mesh with a small pinion on a printing wheel of considerable diameter having on its periphery numerals beginning in our practice with 20 and ending with 300 defining the weighing capacity of the machine in pounds avoirdupois. The printing wheel begins to turn as soon as the person steps upon the platform and oscillates somewhat just before it comes to rest. A pointer rotated through frictional engagement with the printing wheel is in view of the person on the platform and when the pointer ceases to oscillate the device is ready toreceive a coin.

The coin opening is normally closed by a gate which is operated by a device providing a delayed movement so that at about the time the printing wheel comes to rest the gate opens for the reception of a coin.

The coin falls a sufficient distance in a chute to provide the desired force for tripping a catch which holds in suspended position a gravity-operated lever which was raised while the preceding person was still on the scale. The descent of this falling lever releases the printing hammer for gravitational fall, aided by a spring, and when the hammer falls it communicates motion to the ticket feeder to carry it back into position to advance another ticket. The falling lever also moves a catch releasing a lever of the first class having aV weight at one end, and the gravitational tilting of this weighted lever carries the previously falling lever upward intoits original position where it becomes caught for the next weighing operation, and at the same time the weighted lever moves and holds out of the way a catch which has been holding up the main weight and other parts raised when the person stepped on the platform. Now, when the person steps off of the platform the main weight near the base of the machine descends, drawing down also the lever connected with it, and the dra-wing down of this lever rocks the weighted lever till it becomes latched,

thus raising the weight on that lever to supply power for the next weighing operation. When what we have described as the falling action of the weighted lever, as mentioned, the hammer is carried upward and the ticket shifter is operated to advance another ticket, incidentally forcing the printed ticket out of the guides and into a hopper which "carries it to an opening where the person weighed can get it.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device with the front door of the casing removed;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation with the rear casing door similarly omitted;

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentary side elevations viewed in opposite directions, with front, rear and top walls of the casing in section;

Fig. 5 is a still furtherenlarged fragmentary side elevation of certain levers, etc., appearing in Fig. 2 and showing these parts in their relative positions when the machine is ready to receive a coin and before the person has stepped on the scale platform;

Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views of the lever mechanism of Fig. 5 showing the relative position of parts respectively before and after the insertion of a coin, with the person standing on the platform;

Fig. 8 is a fragmetary perspective of the upper end portion of the ticket magazine;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary front elevation of the spring-suspended basket or follower holding cards in the magazine;

Fig. 9a is a section on the line ila-9 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on a line as 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a top plan of certain card shifting mechanisms;

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of parts shown in Fig. 11, and some associated parts;

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view on the line 13-13 of Fig. 11 but showing theI card ejecting mechanism in its rearward position;

Fig. 14 is a cross sectional view on the line 14e-111 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 15 is a top plan and Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the coin-actuated tripper arm and associated mechanisms;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the coin chute showing the slot and stop for the end of the tripper arm;

Fig. 18 is a cross sectional view on the line 18-18 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 19 is a cross sectional view 'showing platform or base mechanisms and elements connecting them with the upright portion of the scale. The base of Fig. 19 is not our invention.

Fig. 20 is an enlarged side view showing printing wheels, inking mechanism, etc;

Figs 21 and 22 are enlarged side and rear views respectively; of the mechanism for opening and closing the coin-receiving slot;

lever is forced upward by the gravitational Fig. 23 is a top plan of the shutter or gate and associated parts for closing the coin-receiving slot;

Fig. 24 is an elevation of same viewed from the rear, showing the open position in dotted lines;

Fig. 25 is a view partly in section, of a cushioning mechanism or dash-pot;

Figs. 26 and 27 are cross sectional views taken respectively on lines 26-26 and 27-27 of Fig. 25;

Fig. 28 is an enlarged detail of the automatically-operated printing-ribbon-advancing means; and

Fig. 29 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan of a part of the printing hammer mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 19 the system of balancing levers is shown suiiciently in side view. The base comprises a movable platform 1 resting at 2 upon a longitudinally extending member 3 and at 4 upon a shorter longitudinal member 5 connected by a link 5a to the member 3. The member 3 is supported by a link 6 to a bell crank lever 7 pivoted to the frame of the base, while a similar bell crank 8 pivoted also to the frame is connected by a link- 9fto` the member 5. A longitudinal member '10 connects the corresponding ends of the twodbell cranks 7 and 8 and makes pivotal vvconnection with the bell crank 11 pivoted at 12 to a part rigid with the base frame. A weight 13, connected to the bell crank 11, is mounted for up-and-down movement, as is also the rod 15 connected to the longitudinal member 2. From the above description it will be clear `that when a person steps on the platform the rod 15 will be drawn down while the weight 13 will be moved up.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive it will be seen that the various mechanisms are enclosed in a rectangular outer housing which in practice is of sheet metal except for a glass panel 17 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and which is in ,the front door of the housmg.

Rigidly secured within the housing` is a plate-like main support 18 extending from the top of the housing downward, see Figs.y 1 and 2, and which is positioned between the front and rear Walls of the housing, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In practice this main support 18 is a piece of flat sheet steel, and one feature of improvement is in the organization of various mechanisms on opposite sides of this plate whereby space is economized and the parts are heldin their cooperative relations to much better advantage than if secured to various independent supports.

-`From Fig. 1 it will be noted that the weighing 'pull rod 15 is connected bya pair of rods l20 to a cross-arm 21 carrying a pair of springs 22 secured tothe main support 18. Also that a rod 23 extends upward :trom the cross-bar 21 terminating in a rack 24 (see Fig. 20) in mesh with a small pinion 25 mounted .on a shaft 26 on which is also secured a printing wheel -27 having on its periphery raised figures indicating pounds, and in our practice running from 20 to 300. u' The shaft V26 is journaled in ball bearings in the plate 18 and in a front bracket or frame 19 secured to the plate 18.

It will thus be clear that when a person steps on the scale platform the springs 22 will be eXtended,-the rack 24 drawn downward, and the printing wheel 27 turned on its axis, the strength of the springs being so coordinated with the numbers on the printing wheel that the number indicating the weight of the person will be directly at the top of the printing wheel when the balance is reached.

In order to prevent undue movement and excessive oscillation ofthe printing wheel we provide the dashpot 28 (Figs. 1 and 2 and more in detail in Fig. 25) operatively connected to the cross-bar 21.

Tracing 'out now the other movement which takes place when the person steps on the platform, we will refer first to Fig. 19, and again note that the weight 13 raised by the weight on the platform. From Figs. 1 and 2 it will be noted that a rod 30 extends upward froln the weight 13 and is connected to an oisetting piece 31 to which inl turn is connected a vertically disposed rod 32. The function of this rod 32 will appear from Fig. 5, which shows a system of levers mounted on the rear of the main support 18 and with the levers in their relative positions when the machine is set for a printing operation but before a person to be weighed steps upon the platform. From this ligure it will be noted that the rod 32 is connected'to a lever of the first class 33 pivoted at 340 upon the plate 18. lVhen a person steps upon the platform what we will describe as the front end of the lever 33 is moved upward until it substantially engages the adjustable stop 34, at which time an oval-shaped lug 35 on the lever is caught by the latch 36 pivoted at 37 upon a bracket 38 secured upon the main support 18. The latch 36 has its lower end provided with an extension 40 and between itand apart of the bracket 38 the coiled spring 41 extends tending at all times to draw the upper part of the latch in a direction toward the \oval- .shaped projection 35, while the extension 42 of the latch serves as a stop to limit movement.

The second and coincident eii'ect of a persons stepping upon the platform is, then to raise the front end of the lever 33 until lit is caught by the latch 36 and the weight 13 is thus held in suspended position and for descent when the person steps off of the platform. l

From Figp it will be noted that a rod 43 extends upward from the rear end of the lever 33. From Figs. 21 and 22 it will be note/.l that this rod 43 carries an outstanding frame 44 having an outstanding pin 45. Also that to the main support 18 (see also Fig. 3) is secured a rearwardly extending plate 46 having an opening 47 which is for the most part rectangular but which has at its lower portion an inverted V-shaped upstanding part 48. To this plate 46 is secured a supportf) provided with an ear 50 at one end through which extends a rod 51 having its other end secured to the flange-like piece.r

or extension 46, Fig. 22, the rod--5l lying between the extension frame 44 and the rod 43 and therefore serving as a guide for the rod 43 and the pin 45 in their up-and-down movements, always maintaining the pin 45 in a proper position in the opening 47.

Mounted on the small transverse support 49, Fig. 2l, is a sort of S-shaped rocking member 52 which is maintained resiliently in its normal position shown by Fig. 21 by a coiled spring 53, Fig. 22. A rod 54 is pivoted at 55 upon the plate 46 and extends through an opening in the main support 18, and this rod is normally held in its full line position, shown by Fig. 21, by the coiled spring 56.

Referring further to Fig. 21 it will be noted that when the rod 43 is drawn downward, which occurs when the person steps on the scale platform, the pin 45 will follow the left-hand contour of the S-shaped member 52, and when it comes to the bottom of that member the lower half of the member will be pushed to the right and the pin 45 will continue to descend until it reaches the mounting for the rod 54, and will pull that end of the rod down, raising the other end, or into the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 21. Immediately after the piu 4l has passed the lower end of the member 52 the spring 53 will cause the member 52 to resume its normal position, and subsequently when the rod 43 rises the pin 45 will move upward on the other side of the S-shaped'n'icmber, finally pushing the upper end of that member to the left and finding itself again in its normal position shown in Fig. 21.

As we shall presently see, the lifting of the rod 54 opens the coin chute to receive a coin. Let us suppose that someone steps on the platform before the person preceding him has stepped oil", or before the machine has had time to adjust itself for the neXt operation, a condition of frequent occurrence. At such time the pin 45 is either still at the bottom of the opening 47 or has moved part of the way up the right-hand contour of the member 52. As it happens in practice, the pin 45, which is at the bottom of its path of movement so long as a person is standing on the platform, rises somewhat during the shifting of weight (one getting off and another getting on) .and comes above the sharp projection 48. Thereafter when the person getting on applies his full weight the pin 45 descends in the right hand compartment formed by the projection 48 and does not move the arm 54, and the coin slot is not opened and will not open until the person steps off of the platform and permits the machine to get ready to furnish him his weight.l

Turning now to Figs. 23 and 24 we note that the rod 54 extends to a place directly over and in contact with an arm 58 of a' T-shaped closure pivoted at 59 upon a plate 60 secured to the main support 18. A spring 61, Fig. 24, will draw the leg or closure 62 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 24, when the rod 54 is moved out of restraining position. Taken with the foregoing .description it is clear that at the end of the upward movement of the weight 13 and rod 32 the gate or closure 62 will be swung into its dotted line position in Fig. 24, permitting a coin to be inserted in the coin chute 63.

We have thus far described the various operations which take place when the person to be weighed steps upon the platform, and for the purposes of description have made the assumption that someone weighed himself on the machine prior to the present weighing and thereby set the machine for normal operation. As thus far described the machine is ready to receive a coin to be deposited through an opening 65, see Figs. 3 and 4, which opening is in the front door of the outer frame or housing.

Assuming, then, that a person has stepped upon the platform and waited a little while until the coin slot opened and then deposited a coin, we will refer to Figs. 15, 16 and 17 to show the first results. The descending coin strikes a light lever 66 having its frontend tipped with steel to withstand wear and vertically movable in a slot 67 in the coin chute 63, carrying the lever 66 downward until its front end comes sufficiently out of the slot 67 to permit the coin at 68 to pass by and become deposited in a collecting box which may rest at the bottom of the casing. The lever 66 is one of the first class and is pivoted on an axis 7 0 and is held b a pair of conically pointed screws 71, ig. 18, mounted in a frame designated as 72 and secured to the sheet metal outer casing or housing of the machine. A vertically extending retangular bar` 73 is mounted for up-and-down-movement in a passageway formed by the construction of a. tilting latch 74, as will be noted from Fig. 15, the latch 74 being pivotally mounted at 75 near its inner end and being provided with a projection 76, well noted in Fig. 6, and the vvertical bar 73 is provided with a notch to accommodate the projection 76. It will be clear that as the free end of the latch 74 is raised the projection -76 will come out of the notch and permit the rod 73 to descend. The descent of the coin lever 66 raises the free end of the latch 74 since the lever 66 is provided with an arm 77 adapted to engage the latch. y

The first result of depositing the coin is, therefore, /to release the lar 73, and from Figs. 6 and 7 some of the ensuing operations will be clear.

We will start with the assumption that the front end of the lever arm 80 and the bar 73 were raised and caught by the dog at` 76, Fig. 6` during the preceding 'weighing operation. The release of the bar 73 by the coin-operated tripping mechanism permits that bar and the lever arm 80 to fall graviy'tationally, the lever arm turning on the shaft 8l. This shaft 81 projects through effect ofthe spring 88a.

the main support 18, as will be noted from Fig. 1, which also shows a lever arm 82 mounted on the front side of thc main support on the shaft 81. Fig. 3 shows that to the arm 8l is connected a vertical rod 82 extending upward to a lever extension 83. Referring to the detail of Fig. 29 it will be noted that the arm 83 is loosely mounted on a shaft 84 outstanding from and rigidly secured to the main support 18, at the front end of which shaft is also loosely mounted the hammer arm 85. It is to be noted that the sleeve 83a carrying the lever arm 83 has a projection 86 in the path of the contacting projection 87 on the hammer arm 85. From this construction it will be clear that when the arm 83 is raised the projection 86 will be moved away from the projection 87 permitting the hammer arm 85 to descend.`

From Fig. 1 it will be noted that a spring 88a cooperates in drawing the hammer arm downward, and it will there also be noted that since the lever arm 82 is relatively ,long with respect to the lever arm 83 (shown enlarged in Fig. 29), the movement of the stop 86, Fig. 29, away from the stop 87 is relatively rapid with the result that the hammer bar 85 may descend gravitationally, or even more rapidly. as through the The result is that thc hammer head 85'* strikes a blow upon. a ticket immediately at the top of the printing wheel l27.

Referring to Fig. 1 and also to Fig 12 it will be noted that a horizontal rod 88 is pivoted to the hammer arm and extends to a pivotal connection with the depending arm 89 pivoted at 90 upon the main support 18 and adapted to swing. The lower end of the swinging bar 89 engages a reciprocating ticket-feeding sliding element later herein more specifically to be described. At this place we desire principally to mention that when the hammer bar descends the ticketfeeder is forced to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, or into position to engage a ticket subsequently to be advanced toward the right.

Summing up certain movements, we find that the deposit of a coin results in permitting the lever arm 80 to fall, thereby permitting the hammer to descend and. perform a printing operation and at the 4same time moving the ticket shifter into position to advance another card.

= Referring again to Figs. 6 and 7, when the lever arm 8O falls its roller 8Oa strikes the top surface of the latch or dog 92 pivoted at 93 on the bracket arm 38, and the a-rm 80 and latch 92 assume their dotted line positions in Fig. 7.

It is desired after each printing operation to raise the printing hammer and move the ticket shifter. The means provided oomprisc the dog 92, the lever of the first class 94 pivoted on the stud shaft 340, and a weight 95 connected to what we shall call the rcarend of the lever 94. This weight 95 isl guided for up and down movements in brackets secured upon the rear surface of the main support 18. When the lever 94 is released by the 'disengagement of the latch 92 the weight 95 causes the front end of the lever 94 to swing upward. From Fig. 7 it will be noted that an adjustable screw 96 in the lever arm 94 contacts the lever 80 at thev timel the dog or latch 92 is moved out of holding engagement, with the result that when the front end of the lever 94 is swung upward it carries with it the lever arin 80 until the latch 76, Fig. 6, reengages the notch in the bar 73 to hold the arm 80 in raised position, and the several levers are then in their full line positions respectively shown in Fig. 7.

`Turning again to Fig. 29 it will be noted that when the lever arm 83 is drawn downward the stop 86 engages the stop 87 and raises the hammer arm 85 into its position shown in Fig. 1, and therewith the rod 88 is moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 1, with the result that another ticket is advanced to the right, and with the further result that the ticket which has been printed is forced out of the guides through which it traveled into printing position, and ,into the hopper 98, Figs. 3 vand 4, and into the catch pocket 99, out of which may be picked by the person standing on the scale platform.

When the weight 95, Figs. 6 and 7, descends and carries upward the front end of the lever 94, the rectangular-shaped stop 10Q (shown onlyby dotted lines), engages thel curved surface 36a of the dog 36 and forces it to the right, or into the position shown in Fig. 7, and out of engagement with the oval projection 35 on the lever 33. The levers 33 and 94 remain in their full line positions shown in Fig. 7 so long as the person remains on the scale platform. As soon as he steps off, however, the greater power of the weight 13 near the base, together with its associated parts then in raised position, causes the rod 32 to descend, drawing downward the front end of the lever 33, and the engagement of the oval projection 35 on lever 33 with the rectangular projection 100 on lever 93 draws the front end of lever 94 downward until it is caught by the latch 92, the lupper end of which is gravitationally drawn to the left through the overbalancing weight of the latch extension 92a, and thus the weight 95 is also raised, storing up energy for resetting the lever 80.

Summing up further, it will thus be clear that the fall of the lever arm 80 releases the hammer for gravitational operation aided by spring pressure, which spring pressure is desirable in view of the concurrent shifting of the feed mechanism; that the raising of the lever 80 by the weight 95restores the hammer for the next printing operation and moves the ticket shifter to advance another ticket and discharge the one printed; also that the lifting of the weight 13 into suspended position furnishes power for restoring the weight 95 to its powersupplying position; and that thus all of the ticketprinting and ticket-feeding operations arel performed by power which was stored up by a person standing on the scale platform. The person being weighed, does not, however, supply the motive power for his own weighing. That power was stored up in the machine by the preceding person weighed.

The ticket-supply is contained in a vertically disposed magazine illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive. It is formed of metal and from Fig. 10 it will be noted that a ticket as 101 is contacted by rounded side surfaces of the magazine at 102 away from the corners of the tickets and' that at each end of the ticket there is a single rounded surface 103. There is a little play between the vertically stacked tickets and the container walls, and the construction of the magazine is such as to provide an unusually free movement of the tickets therein; For moving the tickets upward there is rst a follower plate 104: at the upper end of a rod 105 secured upon a sort of S-shaped member 106 having its arms extending through the respective side wall openings 107 of the magazine, and to these arms are secured coiled springs 108 which are secured at their upper ends to a bracket 109 to be seen at the top of Fig. 1.

We have found that for a satisfactory operation of such a machine it is highly desirable that the pressure upon the ticket at any given time being shiftedV away from the stack should remain substantially constant.

Where tickets are fed downward in a magazine the weight of the stack and therefore the pressure upon the lower-most one is considerable in the vbeginning and diminishes `zine is fully charged, being more extended,

and assume a gradually lessened tension as the tickets are fed off the top of the st ci one at a time. springs 108 must be substantially long and flexible to provide the desired results of a substantially equal pressure, and, importantly, a substantially small pressure upon the particular ticket at any given time being moved off the top of the stack. According to these improvements we are able to operate to the full capacity of the magazine which, in our practice, is formed to hold one thousand cards, an enormously greater number than has been found feasible where the ltickets move gravitationally downward in a magazine.

For charging the magazine we provide a door-way in the front upper portion opened and closed by the door 110 which, when closed, is a continuation of the front wall and cooperates in holding the tickets properly within the magazine. rfhe magazine is positioned so close to the front door of the outer casing that when the magazine door 110 is opened and standing out horizontally, being held in that position by the stop 111, the outer casing door may not be closed. thus providing a safety feature found to be valuable, for the person charging the machine might otherwise forget to close the magazine door and thus endanger the proper feeding of the cards. In charging the magazine the door 110 is opened, any tickets then in the magazine are pushed downward until caught by the gravity-operated latch 112, and thereupon a bunch of tickets may be inserted and adjusted, and that bunch then pushed downward until caught, and so on until the magazine is charged, the additional tickets required to fill the magazine to the top being readily a plied either by simply hold-ing the stack own or by permitting the catch 112 to remain temporarily in place. The catch, however, is finally moved out of enga ement, thetickets nicel adjusted, and the oor closed and latche In this connection the feature of having the side walls of the magazine open is important since, as a final operation, it is well to pass a finger up and down along the stack of cards and push them all over to one side, as

ive have found that the.

toward the left as viewed in Fig. 8, to insure that they are all nicely aligned whereby they equally come into position to be moved off the' stack without frictional movement between them.

The particular form of ticket illustrated in Fig. 10 forms the subject of application Serial No. 685,495 filed January 11, 1924, by Seth A. Rhodes, one of the present applicants Figs. 11 to 13 inclusive illustrate the cardshifting mechanism. Secured to the main support 18 is a metallic guide member to which the upper end of the ticket magazine is secured, as with screws 113. The ticket magazine extends through a portion of the horizontal guide member, as will be noted in Fig. 13, whereby each ticket may issue upward in a line with the guideways through which it is forced until it comes directly above the printing wheel. In Fig.

14 the ticket-guideway is shown at 115, and is formed by recessing the pair of side members ,116 upon which respectively are secured as by screws the cooperating bar-like pieces 117. -Where the tickets issue into the guideway 115 the members 116 are cut away at the dotted lines 118 respectively, so that the upward movement of the tickets is stopped by the portions 117n of the members 117. Each member 116 is recessed to provide room for a relatively long and slender spring wire 119'held'by the screw 120 and adapted to press against the card gently and provide a slight frictional resistance to its forward movement whereby it will move only such a distance as is provided by the stroke of the ticketshifter.

The swinging bar 89 carries at'itslower end an arm 89EL having threaded thereinto a cylindrical bearing member 89b mounted for movement in the notch of a yoke member 300 secured upon a plate 301 slidably mounted in recesses or guideways at 302 ,in the guide member bars 117, Fig. 14. The plate 301 is reciprocated to the left and into the position shown dn Fig. 13 when the printing hammer descends, as already described, and moves to the right a distance equal to the width` of the'ticket, or into the position shown by Fig. 12, when the hammer is raised.

To force the tickets forward we found unsatisfactory the heretofore-suggested plan of using a plate as 301, but operating in the ticket guideway whereby the plate serves as the moving element contacting the ticketand forcing it forward. To remedy various disadvantages arising in that connection We have provided a air of dogs 122 mounted on a portion of t e yoke member 300, and forward of it, for `movements up and down, and normally pressed downward by a unitary rightandleftcoiled spring 123, with a light and gentle tension. These dogs re- 139 with a yielding spectively are provided with a tooth 124 (Fig. 13) adapted to engage the uppermost ticket in the stack and force it forward in the independent ticket guideways 115. On the return stroke the dogs ride gently over the next ticket which has moved 4upward into position, and, at the end of the return stroke, fall and are forced by the spring downward to engage the card when the next operation occurs.

It will be noted from Fig. 11 that several tickets 101 are in the guideways at the same time. Thesize of the printing wheel 27 is such that the depending ticket magazine must be moved laterally suilicient to clear the wheel.

The ticket 101a of Fig. 11 is directly above the center of the printing wheel and is the one on which the instant printing is done. As soon as it is printed the forward movement of the shifting mechanism forces it into its dotted line position while riding at one end of the extension 119a of one of the springs 119. The ticket 101a comes out ofl the guideways when so advanced and falls into the hopper 98, Fig. 3, and thence into the open receptacle'99, to be taken by the. person weighed.

The inking mechanism is mounted on the front side of the main support 18, as well shown in Fig. 1. 'Fig 28 shows the construction inore in detail from which it will appear that a pair of stud shafts 130 and 131 carry ratchet wheels 132 and 133 respectively having their teeth arranged in opposite directions, these shafts being adapted to hold ribbon spools of the kind ordinarily used in typewriting machines, the yspools being carried in the direction rof ratchet movement by outstanding studs 134 and 135, the spools 136 and 137 being shown in Fig. 20.

Turning to Fig. 6 it will be noted that the lever 33 carries a vertically disposed rod 138. This rod (see Fig. 20) in its upward movement pushes against a connecting piece seat action provided by the spring 140. The piece 139 is pivoted to a bar 141 pivoted at 142 to theplate carrying the inking mechanism. To the lever 141 is pivotally secured a vertically reciprocat ing bar 143 mounted in suitable guides. The bar 143 has pivotally mounted on the face thereof a laterally swinging member 144` pivoted at 145, there being a catch 146 on the member 144 and ada ted to engage the teeth of either ratchet wllfeel accordingly as the member 144 is swung to one side or the other. i.

Means for holdingN the member 144 yieldingly in one position and then the other comprise the member 147 pivoted at 148 upon the reciprocating member 143, and including a conically pointed pin 149 pressed outward by a spring 150 and entering a small conical recess in the lower outturned end of the member 144. As viewed in Fig. 28 it is apparent that a downward movement of the reciprocating member 143 will cause the-tooth 146 to advance the ratchet'132, and it is equally clear that ifthe member 144 were swung to the left such downward movement would advance the ratchet 1323.

The upward movement of the pawl tooth 146 would be likely to return the ratchet back a step, so means are provided to lock it against such a contingency, these means being a small plate-like piece 151 pivoted at 152 upon the bracket 153 forming a guidel for the reciprocating member 143. It will be clear that if the member 151 were swung to the left it would equally engage a tooth of the ratchet 133 and hold it against reverse movement. It is desired `to swing the member 151 to one side or the other when the member 144 is so swung. To accomplish this a pin 154 is mounted upon the member 144 and issues through a slot-like opening 155 in the member 151, which pin lies between the legs of a spring 157 which clasp the pin whereby whenthe pin is moved in either direction the member 151 will be similarly moved and with a resilient and yielding act-ion. This yielding action provides that when the ratchet 132, as shown in Fig. 28, is advanced in the anti-clockwise direction a ratchet tooth engaging the locking pawl 151 will move the pawl out of the way until the tooth is past the corner of the pawl,

= when the pawl will return into holding position.

Means for holding the ribbon spools in plate are shown as a pair of fiat fingers, 158 pivoted at 159, and 160 pivoted at 161, with a cross-bar 162 between them and a fingerpiece 163 on one of them, these fingers 158 and 160 being adapted to be swung out of the way-when the ribbon spools are applied, and then swung back so as to lie within the edge portions of the spools respectively and prevent their coming ofi of the spindles 130 and 131. A spring 164 maintains this locking device in holding position.

'When the lever 33 is moved upward by a person stepping upon the scale platform the rod 138 is moved upward, but to a greater extent than is necessary for shifting the ribbon the desired amount and therefore the provision of the lost motion through the spring connection 140 (see also Fig. 2). On the descent of the lever 34 pulling down the rod 138 the ribbon shifter is not affected until near the end of the movement, when the lever 141, Fig. 20, is pulled downward a short distance-merely enough to advance the ratchet one tooth--and the ribbon is therefore moved a small amount.

From Fig. 20.it will be noted that the ribbon 165 passes over two pairs of rollers 166.and 167, and that between the rollers 166 and 167 on each side there is an extension 168 of a member pivoted at 169 which has a pair of jaws 170 engaging the little switch member 147. The ribbon, as is usual in typewriter practice, is provided near each end with a button or stop which, in the present instance, is unable to pass through a slot at 172 on each arm 168, and, therefore, as the ribbon continues to be advanced, the member 168 is rocked and the trip 147 is swung to the other side, whereupon the other ratchet becomes effective and winds the ribbon uponA the spool associated Witlrit. The ribbon feed is therefore automatic at all times.

The dashpot28 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 25. Figs. 26 and 27 also show the dashpot 28'substantially as made, but with a movable plate omitted and the other two plates' brought close together. The liquid in them may be any suitable oil or com- 1pound having the property of maintaining as uniform as possible a high degree of iuidity.- It appears practically impossible to obtain within reasonable cost considerations a dashpot liquid which will not become more fluid in hot weather and less fluid in the cold. The desired uniformity of operation in warm and cold weather may be controlled in this respect through an adjustment of the dashpot elements to provide for a less free passage of the liquid from one side of the diaphragm to the other in hot weather and for a more free passage when the weather is cold. It is desirable to avoid the dismantling of parts or the necessity of removing the liquid for such adjustments. i

Referring to Fig. 25 the cover 180 has a central v opening through which passes loosely the. plunger rod 181 in the form of a tube through which passes an adjusting rod 182. The tube or sleeve has a slot 183 and in this slot there is a headed screw 184, thus providing that the sleeve and rod may be turned relative to each other. The binding nut 185 will tighten the parts in an adjusted relative position, and the headed screw 184 may also be tightened for the same purpose. These parts 184 and 185 are Where the attendant can at any time easily make an adjustment desired.

The sleeve 181 is slightly reduced at its bottom to form a seat for the plate 186 shown in Fig. 26, the plate being rigidly secured to the sleeve as by solder. The plate 186 has three notches 187 therein forming passageways for the liquid. A plate 188 shaped like plate 186 is mounted loosely for up and down movement on the rod 182 immediately below the plate 186. The rod 182 is slightly reduced in diameter at its bottom to accommodate the plate 189, which is held rigidl `thereon by a pair of binding nuts 190. T e plate 188 has secured to it -justment at the time.

. a pin `.191 freelyl movable in' a hole 192 in the plate 189 whereby any rotative movement given to the lowermost plate 189 will be' communicated to plate 188. The lower plate 189 has notches 193 therein. j Fromv the construction thus' illustrated and described it will be clear that when the sleeve and rod are turned relative to each other the relationship of the notches between plate 186 and 188 will be changed, to enlarge or reduce the passageways from one side of the diaphragm as a whole to the other, and thus .modifying the resistance to movement of the diaphragm in the body of liquid. f The dash-pot illustrated in Fig. 'is the one which cushions the Aweight of the person when he steps on the scale platform.

Through the free up-and-down movement of the plate 188`it will be clear that that plate w1ll move upward against` plate 186 on the down-ward movement of. the combined slee-ve18l and rod 182, thus closing the passageways except for that predeterminedamount fixed by the particular ad- When the person steps ofl'the scale and the dash-pot elements v moveupward, the movable plate 188 will fall away from plate 186, thus enlarging thepassagewayswhereby thek fluid will not be pumped upward out of the dashpotl and whereby the scale parts affected may adjust themselves as rapidly as desired.;

An auxiliary means for adjusting the pas-v sage of liquid through the diaphragm the circular plate 294 pivotedat 295 upon plate- 189, there being aligning holes through plate 189 and 294 adapted' to bev -40 opened, closed or partially closed when the machine is first assembled according to lthe particular. liquid employed.

The dash-pot 28 (Figs. 1 and 2) is notv provided with the-floating or movable plate 188, and the upper plate 186and the lower plate 189 lie close together. VThe construction may be considered. otherwise the same as in Fig. 25, the adjustable qfeature for the plates being present. Referring to Figs. 28 and 24A itwill vbe notedthatarod 195 is positioned to tilt the coin chute closure 60 into closing'position vwhen the rod 195 is raised. Fig. 1 shows a horizontal bar 196 pivoted at 197 and adapted to pull downward the vertical rod 198 connected to the pivoted lever 199 (Fig.l

3) having the rod 195 extending forward from it. When theextendin arm of the S-shaped follower of the tic et magazine (Fig. 9*) contactsthe end of the lever 196, moving it upward, the control rod 195 is moved upward and the coin chute gate closes and no more weighing operations can then take place. 1`his happens when the tickets .are substantially exhausted from the magazine.

ing' a platform adapted to move up. e

Fig. 1 shows a small circular dial 200 having an arrow 200rl on a revoluble Shaft and all carried by a swinging frame 201.

Fig. 20- shows the device indotted lines. The arrow shaft has a small soft-faced wheel. which rests frictionally against the printing wheell 27, So long as the printv mg wheel oscillates the arrow also turns back having mounted onv one side thereof a printing "wheel operatively associated with the weighing mechanism, a ticket magazine,a ticket-feeding mechanismfor feeding tickets from the magazine to the printing wheel, and a printing hammer, and having mounted on the opposite side of said Support a system of levers for controlling the op eration of the printing hammer and ticketfeeding mechanism, with operative connections extending through the support from 4'said system of levers for .operating the printing hammer, and with operative connections between the hammer mechanism and the tlcket-feeding mechanlsm.

2. In a weighing scale, a scale basehav-y in g a platform adapted to move up and down and containingA the scale levers, weight indicating mechanism embodying a printing wheel connected tothe levers, printing mechanism adapted to cooperate with said wheel, a weight to lactuate the printing mechanism, means to -retainthe weight in an elevated position, a second weight connected to said platform and' raised lby the platform when moved down by a person on the platform, means cooperating with said second weight when the same is moving downward to raise said first weight, and means for releasing said first weight to actuate the printingmechamsm.

3. In a weighing sca e, a scale base havdown thereon, and containing the sca levers, load resisting springs and a printing wheel connected to the levers, printing mechanism and a weight to actuate the vprinting mechanism, means to retain the weight in elevated position, connections between the platform andweight whereby the weight is positioned by said platform, and a releasing device to permit the operation of the. printing mechanism by said weight.

4. lIn a weighing scale, a. scale base havand.

ing a. platform adapted to move up and down, a printing mechanism and a weight to actuate the printing mechanism, connections between the platform and weight whereby the weight is operatively positioned by the platform, means to retain the' weight when so positioned and means to release the weight to permit operation of the printing mechanism, said connections embodying a second weight sufficiently greater than the first to elevate the first weight as the platform moves into normal position.

`5. In a weighing scale, al scale base having a platform adapted to move up and down relative to the scale, a weighing mechanism, ar printing mechanism comprising type, a' connection whereby the {printing mechanism may be operatively positioned byV44 the weighing mechanism, means to retain the printing mechanism when so operatively positioned, means operated by movement of the platform to actuate the printing mechanism, and means to release the retaining means for the printing mechanism.

6. In a weighing scale, a support, wheels and shafts to carry said support, a platform mounted on the support adapted to be moved down by a load on the scale, a weighing mechanism, a printing mechanism comprising type, a connection whereby the printing mechanism may be operatively positioned by the weighing mechanism of the scale, and means positioned by the latform independent of the weighing mec anism to actuate the printing mechanism, means to retain the actuated mechanism for the printing mechanism when so operatively positioned, and means to release said actuating mechanism.

7. In a weighing scale, a support, two pairs of wheelsto carry the support, a base having a platform adapted to have a limited downward movement with respect to said base, a weighing mechanism connected with the platform, a printing mechanism comprisby the weighing mechanism of the scale independently of the platform, actuating means for said printing mechanism comprising a weight, a second weight connected to the platform and elevated thereby when the platformis-'moved down, means whereby said second weight when moving down ele- --vat'es the first means to hold the second weight in elevated position, means actuated by the first named weight to releasev the secondfmeans to hold the first named weight elevated, and means to release the first named weight.

9. In a weighing scale, a support, a platform mounted on the support to move up and down, a weighing mechanism, a printing mechanism comprising type and connecting means whereby the printing mechanism may be positioned by the weighing mechanism of the scale inde endently of the platform, actuating means or said printing mechanism comprisin a weight, a second weight connected to t e platform and elevated thereby when the platform is moved down, means whereb said second weight when moving down e evates the first means to hold the second wei ht in elevated position, means actuated y the first named weight to release the second, means to hold the first named weight elevated, means to release the first named weight, and means to dampen the movements of said weights.

SETH A. RHODES. GUSTAV F. HOCHRIEM. 

